Technology

Posted on April 5, 2019 by staff

CEO appointed to lead NHSX

Technology

The government’s director of digital policy Matthew Gould has been appointed the new CEO of NHSX, the body responsible for digital transformation in the NHS.

A former government director for cyber security, he will join NHSX in the summer to coincide with its July launch.

In another former role as British ambassador to Israel, he set up the UK Israel tech hub, which laid the foundations for the UK and Israel’s tech relationship.

Gould will have responsibility for setting the national agenda on technology across all health and social care organisations and be accountable to Health Secretary Matt Hancock and NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens.

“Our single goal will be to improve the care that everyone in the country gets by making sure that both staff and patients have the technology they need,” said Gould.

“I will know I have succeeded if in two years we have reduced the crazy amount of time that clinicians spend inputting and accessing patient information; if we have given patients the tools so they can access information and services directly from their phones; and if we have started to build a system in which patient information can be securely accessed from wherever it is needed, ensuring safer and better care as patients move around the system, and saving patients from having to tell every doctor and nurse their story over and over again.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said ‘digital experts’ from the organisation will be “embedded in national mental health and cancer teams to help clinicians and policymakers improve patient experience through the power of technology”.

NHSX will also recruit a chief technology officer in the summer who will be responsible for designing and delivering a new web-based system for the NHS and social care.

Hancock said: “I want to invite the very best talent to join NHSX. If you’re an innovator and you want to serve our society, I want to welcome you to join the growing band of HealthTech pioneers at NHSX who are going to be on a mission to transform harness technology to save lives.

“We want to invite brilliant people from Government, NHS and industry will work closely with clinicians to cut through bureaucracy – meaning patients get access to the best innovations more quickly.

“NHSX is one of the most exciting things happening in the UK. It’s cutting edge, it’s mission driven, and it’s about harnessing the best.

“This is just the beginning of the tech revolution, building on our NHS Long Term Plan to create leading health and care service – for us all.”